Organized New Mom Tip # 15: Waterproof Mattress Pad on your Bed

Go to the store, buy one now, and put it on your bed. You’re certainly not going to be thinking about it when you and your leaky baby pass out in your bed after a 3 AM feeding.  I had to learn this tip the hard way.

My son Will, then 3 months old, taking a
morning cat nap on my well-protected mattress

Organized New Mom Tip #14: Relax your wardrobe

This might sound like a “duh” kind of tip, but it’s harder to do than it seems. At first, in the midst of all the pooping and spit up, I didn’t care at all that I was spending my days in a t-shirt and yoga pants, but after awhile I caught myself looking longingly at my high-heeled “hurts-like-hell-but-man-do-they-make-me-look-good” knee high boots. If you’re a SAHM like me, it’s especially hard because you don’t get to enjoy fancy outfits during normal working hours away from home. The most important thing about this particular organized new mom tip is that you’ve got to tell yourself you’re going to do it. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself buying pretty dresses and strappy sandals yet opting for comfortable shoes and 100% cotton when you leave the house. Trust me. In the long run, dressing down your closet makes life much easier both physically and financially.

Organized New Mom Tip #13: Exercise

Ugh. I know. Sometimes the last thing a new mom wants to do is pull on her yoga pants (that are probably a bit tight because of the baby weight) and hit the gym. Believe me, I can sympathize.

I gained around 50 lbs. with my pregnancy, and I was anxious to get it off ASAP.  I remember being disappointed when my doctor told me I couldn’t do anything but light walking for exercise for 6 weeks after giving birth. So I walked. I walked and I walked and I walked – lightly. I was slowly losing weight but I discovered something more important happening. I felt FANTASTIC when I was walking. Everyone knows the stresses of a new baby can make you feel like you don’t have much control in your life. I found that exercising-even just light walking-gave me back that feeling of control. My focus on losing weight suddenly faded away and I was able to relax and just enjoy my daily exercise.

When I was able to do more strenuous exercising, I worked hard to make time during the day just for me to work out, and it paid off. Not only did I end up losing more than just my baby weight, I became a much happier, much calmer, and more organized new mom. Exercising is now just a part of my daily life, and if I skip it, I feel like something is missing.

Not sure how to get started?  Here’s what worked for me:

·         Take your baby for a daily walk. Like I said before, it’s all you’re allowed to do the first 6 weeks.

·         Once you’re ready to do more, schedule a light workout while the baby naps, because the dishes are less important. I started with a post-natal yoga video while Will slept in the bouncer next to me.

·         Join a Mommy/Baby Yoga or Exercise class. Since I’m not into group workouts I never did, but I have mom friends who did and really enjoyed them.

·         Find a workout facility that offers drop-in child care. Once you find the right one, you’ll be hooked. I still take Will to our local rec center at least once a week. You’ll get an uninterrupted workout, plus your little one gets to socialize with other babies.

As everyone says, start slow. If you find yourself dreading your workout, stop immediately and find a new one. Before you know it, you’ll be in the market for a smaller pair of yoga pants. J